Sudden Sunlight
by serafina19
Summary: "He accepted her, wrapping his arm around her and it hadn't moved in the entire night. Chloe was kidding herself if she thought she only wanted this once. But really... how much longer could this go on before the other shoe dropped?" This takes place very shortly after the events in "Sleepless Smiles," so I recommend reading that first.


_Sera's Scribbles: So... I'm officially back. Those reading "Love by a Different Name," part 9 is coming soon. I think I almost have the scenes down, but I don't want to screw it up, so I'm calling in some back-up on this. In the meantime... enjoy!  
_

* * *

_So what do I do with this?_

_This sudden burst of sunlight and me with my umbrella  
Cross-indexing every weatherman's report_  
_Was ready for the downslide, but not for spring to well up_

Stray Italian Greyhound: Vienna Teng

* * *

**Sudden Sunlight**

It was likely early still, as the sun was breaking through the blinds of the clocktower, awaking Chloe momentarily. The clock read 6:00 am, confirming her thoughts, yet she had slept better than the entire week, the entire month for that matter.

So she had missed him, so what? Better question was why it was so hard to admit that to him?

_Maybe a little._

What kind of answer was that?

Propping herself to lean against her elbow, Chloe looked down at Oliver, still sleeping peacefully. She reached up, filtering her fingers through his hair. Feeling herself smile as she worked her fingers more, she whispered, "You just had to come around, didn't you?"

She thought was fine before, living in her ivory tour of sorts. The database, the building, it may have represented a fragmented, flawed happy ending, yet somehow Watchtower had become a harbour that Chloe could call home.

The warning Doctor Fate left her was duly noted, but Chloe knew she was smart enough to not repeat history. Just because she had answers didn't mean she was crazy. She was independent, not reliant on the people that were insistent of leaving.

Even if Clark came back, it didn't mean that he wouldn't throw another destiny-esque tantrum and leave again. As much as it pained Chloe to admit, things with her and Clark were still tense and their friendship would likely never be the same again.

Even if she put the team back together, she wouldn't be surprised if the team took off again, for missions or another break-down. The only reason she did it was because the world needed them, nothing more.

Even if she picked up Oliver from his unnecessary downward spiral, all she expected was a thank you. For once, Chloe actually got it. But apparently that wasn't enough for Oliver.

He just... wouldn't sit still. First there were the subtle glances, then coffee runs, and then he'd force her out to lunch. He even suggested a dinner and a movie night, with take-out from her favourite Chinese food restaurant in tow. Chloe just figured that it was because he was grateful, but it never stopped. Once a week, he would drag her out of her alcove for lunch, into the sunlight, a facet of life Chloe hadn't experienced much of in the last year.

With the Zod threat, more and more hours were poured into Watchtower, meaning she didn't get out much, and when she did, it was her midnight coffee run from her favourite street vendor. So every time they left Watchtower during daylight, Chloe felt her eyes squint as he led her down the street, a grin on his face. She could still picture that stupid look she saw as her eyes adjusted to the light.

It was probably the same stupid look she had on her face right now as she continued to watch him sleep. Moving her hand away, her smile fell. _Not now_, she thought.

Falling back against the mattress, Chloe sighed quietly as she stared up at the ceiling. Part of her wanted to know where he was before, and why he picked right now. She was a mess after she had torn her whole life apart, screwing up everything that was actually hers, which if she thought about it, wasn't much.

A marriage that she regretted every day? Check. A guy going from being interested in her to trying to kill her? Check. Clark being distant from her while he toys with the other women in his life because of his secret? Check. Blood on her hands? More than she would like to admit.

But Oliver saw through that mess, refused to let Chloe to retreat further into virtual reality. Even though there had been one day when he had been as messed up as Chloe was, Oliver pushed all that aside. Next thing she knew, he was turning all of her no's into maybe's, tearing down all of her protective walls, rewriting the rules of their arrangement. And she was letting him.

Turning her head towards Oliver again, she rolled her eyes. Who was she kidding? The word 'arrangement' was fading by the second because he wasn't listening to her. It wasn't just the spoon, it was his behaviour, the fact that he cared, that he noticed the little things. It was the fact that he was everything she was looking for in someone; it just wasn't a scenario that could actually work.

_Please, not now_.

The world was always a mess, it was why being friends with benefits worked so well. It's why having this with Oliver made sense. He got her situation, she got his, there were no secrets, no crappy excuses or stupid reasons to lie. Then again, Chloe had no idea when the man had time to run Queen Industries anymore, and she wasn't sure if she should feel flattered or scared by the notion that Oliver spent more time with her now.

What she did know was how much of a fool he made her look. She couldn't do this right now; the feelings that threatened to surface did no good. Behind the scenes, they had plenty in common, but she couldn't be that girl standing next to him at the podium. Chloe learned at an early age that she was destined for the shadows and now that she had embraced that... _he _showed up.

Besides, this wasn't like her either; Chloe wasn't the kind to fall for the charming billionaire. Experience had taught her that, and even if Oliver was nothing like he was dictated in the papers, it was only a matter of time before he went back to Star City, leaving Chloe behind in Metropolis just like he had with Lois.

So what was she supposed to do now?

She could deny it all she wanted, but she had fallen... _hard. _How couldn't she? Chloe was ready to admit that the world was never going to change, it was always going to be chaotic and her love life was more toxic than any lethal substance.

But Oliver brought back hope in her life. He made certain impossibilities more probable, like her believing that she could fall in –

No.

She couldn't do this. Chloe couldn't rely on this lasting forever, because it wasn't.

Moving his arm away from her body, Chloe slowly got out of the bed, for once not worried about finding a loose shirt or a robe as she was still clothed. Slipping out of the room, Chloe walked towards the terrace, watching the sunrise.

_It's all your fault_, she almost felt like muttering, but Chloe realized that she couldn't blame a text message or a sunrise for this, no matter how much she wanted to. It was so simple, a sweet sentiment, and eight words that actually got her to smile.

_You should see the city from up here..._

Even thinking about it now, Chloe wanted it, to see the view he was seeing, maybe even see him within the view in front of her. Back on that street corner where she first received the text, the image came into her mind right before Lois declared herself early. It was an inaccurate assumption, but she somehow missed Chloe's reaction, which worked for her because there was no way she wanted her cousin to see the full reaction. Things were tough enough as they were.

_Just this once,_she whispered earlier as she shuffled towards him, her eyes getting heavy. He accepted her, wrapping his arm around her and it hadn't moved in the entire night. Chloe was kidding herself if she thought she only wanted this once. But really... how much longer could this go on before the other shoe dropped?

"It's not quite the view in Star City, but I admit, Metropolis has its perks."

Chloe sighed, trying to hide the smile that escaped her again, but failing miserably. Turning around, she saw Oliver standing there without a care in the world. "I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No," Oliver replied, walking closer to Chloe, noticing how her eyes were still tired. "You were supposed to sleeping."

"So were you," Chloe countered. Looking back over the skyline, she couldn't help but think of the message, of the reason he caught her smiling in Watchtower. "Do you ever miss it? Star City I mean?"

It was that moment Oliver realized what was on her mind, why she left him alone in his bed. "Sure," he replied honestly. But that didn't stop him from appreciating what was right front of him, of what was missing in Star City.

Chloe saw his grin break, a sign that she mistook for homesickness. "So one day... you'll go back right? It is your home after all."

Oliver saw her point, as he never expected to stay in Metropolis this long, but he also noticed the disappointment in her eyes as peered down momentarily. "As far as I'm concerned, home is where I put my head on the pillow, and there are days where Metropolis fits that."

"Really?" Chloe asked, narrowing her eyes slightly. "After everything that's happened?" It wasn't like the past year had been easy for him. Since Lex, Doomsday, things had always been tense, so the fact that Oliver seemed to calm about it, calling the hometown of the weird and strange his home, seemed off to her.

"Right now, there's a reason to stay." He said that straight into her eyes, not expecting her to get the implication. Such was the consequence for their situation. Oliver chuckled under his breath, leaning his forehead down to rest against hers. "Besides, you forget that I've spent years on an island. The time you saved me from myself... pales in comparison."

Chloe felt her eyebrows raise slightly, knowing it didn't matter because he could hardly see the reaction. "Is that so?"

Oliver smiled momentarily as he rested a few fingers atop of her ear, moving some of her hair aside. "I'm not saying that I'm ungrateful, but it's not like the worst event of my life."

A sharp breath in was only action Chloe took before backing away. It was only a couple steps at most, but she could feel the sour taste in her mouth setting in. "Ollie, I'm sorry." It was a nice morning and despite the fluctuating feelings Chloe was feeling, optimism was in the air. Allowing the conversation to drift to his parent's death wasn't on her agenda.

"Don't be," he replied, closing the distance again, grateful Chloe maintained her position. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he pulled her against his side, looking up momentarily at the bright colours in the air. "You can blame yourself for plenty, Chloe Sullivan, but that happened outside of your control." Turning his head back in her direction, he noticed that her expression still hadn't brightened. Stepping in front of her, blocking the view, Oliver trailed a finger down her cheek. "Are you okay?"

She closed her eyes when she felt the contact, feeling at peace as her eyes rested even if it was just for a second. "Fine."

Chuckling under his breath, Oliver leaned forward to say softly, "You're a bad liar Chloe. Even worse when you're tired."

It wasn't a surprise to her that Oliver didn't believe her, but all Chloe could do was shrug. "I got at least four hours, that's a record considering the times."

"Eight hours," Oliver was quick to point out. "That was the deal."

Chloe scoffed as she remembered the conversation they shared in Watchtower. "That wasn't the deal... _that_ was a passing comment." Furthermore, it was a passing comment that _she _said to Oliver.

"It was a challenge," he justified, remembering the context, along with his reply at the time. "I don't want our Watchtower to be sleep-deprived when we need her most." He kissed her forehead gently, smirked and then backed off. In the doorway, Oliver paused to look back, noticing how she had turned her head just slightly. "But that's your call," he added before he headed back to the bedroom.

Four hours was impressive for Chloe, as she worked herself too hard, but Oliver meant every word. He wanted her to take some time for herself, to take care of herself, even if she thought she didn't deserve it. But Oliver didn't want to push her either, especially when he still felt tired. It had been a long flight home and he hadn't slept well on the plane either.

Laying his back on the bed, Oliver looked over through the sunlight going through the blinds. Before, all sunlight represented was an unfortunate headache.

Dark nightclubs, underground fight clubs, blinded shut rooms. For weeks, maybe months, this was the life of Oliver Queen. During this time, he embraced what he was supposed to be instead of who he actually was.

It was probably why Chloe chose a coffin to start her little attempt to save his life. There may have been the reference to "Alexander Luthor," but Oliver had been living as if he buried himself alive. The "Roulette" experience reminded him as to why he started the team, why he became Green Arrow in the first place.

Since then, he could see how Chloe was following a similar path, but no one had bothered to tell her to take a time out, to live outside of Watchtower. That was why he started stopping by with coffee, if nothing else, to see her smile as she sipped it.

Oliver never anticipated things developing the way they had, but he didn't regret a second of it. The hard times, the hurt and blame they had put on their own shoulders, it brought them here, and Oliver liked to think that silver lining was worth it.

On paper, he never thought Chloe and him would be more than colleagues, but if Oliver had learned anything in life, it was that anything was possible.

Including Chloe listening to him outside of Watchtower.

The door creaked open slightly, but it wasn't until the covers moved that Oliver opened his eyes. "Hey," she whispered as their eyes met, as she wasn't expecting him to be sleeping already.

Moving towards him again, wanting that familiar feeling, Chloe noticed his mouth open, but she cut him off. "Just... save it." She didn't want to hear anything about how he was right or how she needed to take better care of herself. She didn't want to focus on that, on herself, she just wanted to hold onto this. If it wasn't going to last, Chloe wanted to enjoy this for at least a little while.

Fortunately, Oliver seemed to be okay with that, as he pulled her close, just like they were lying together before. "Okay." He wasn't going to argue with her right now, not when she was staying of her own accord. After all this time, it really felt like some of her walls were starting to come down.

**~End~**


End file.
